Jiangzhai settlement model, Yangshao culture, Lintong, Shaanx. Photography: Prof Gary Lee Todd
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a prehistoric civilisation in China’s Henan Province, where a dig has excavated the foundations of an ancient house believed to be 5,000 years old.
The country’s Global Times reports that the remains of a large building with rammed earth have been discovered, though to date back to the neolithic Yangshao Culture – which was active in the Yellow River basin as far back as 3000 BC.
It’s the first time archaeologists have found house ruins at the Yangshao Village site, which is located in Mianchi county and was first excavated in 1921. The current round of excavation started in 2020 and is the fourth dig to take place in the area.
As well as the foundations, which are believed to cover over 130 sq m, archaeologists found trenches and various artefacts, including a jade axe, which offer hints about the community that once inhabited the site. Excavation is ongoing, meaning more discoveries about the prehistoric Yangshao people could be on the cards.
